KDNK's Local Newscast airs weekday mornings at 6:41 and 7:41 during Morning Edition.
At last night’s election event in Glenwood Springs, Garfield County Commissioner John Martin said local Democrats came to his office this week and delivered an ultimatum: resign immediately or face an indictment on charges including misuse of county money for expenses unrelated to county business. He denied the accusation and said he won’t succumb to threats or intimidation. Read more in the Post Independent today. We will air clips of Amy Hadden Marsh’s interviews with commissioner Martin and challenger John Acha today at 4:30 on Valley Voices.
With ballots set to be mailed to all registered voters in Colorado next week, one local issue we haven’t talked much about is Basalt’s ballot question 2, for a bond issue that would be repaid through a property tax. Voters will be asked to support purchasing a couple acres owned by the Roaring Fork Community Development Corporation at what’s called the Pan and Fork property. A potential game changer for the project was announced this week as the open space programs in Eagle and Pitkin Counties have each pledged $400,000 to the portion of the project that will be used as a park. Technically the land is in Eagle County, but PitCo Open Spaces feels the land will equally benefit Pitkin residents. As Scott Condon reported in the Aspen Times, critics of the proposed purchase have said Basalt has already spent too much money property, relocating residents of the former Pan and Fork Mobile Home Park, reducing flood risk with river work and adding infrastructure.
Meanwhile, Pitkin County voters have their own local ballot question to consider. Referendum 1A would reauthorize the mill levy that supports Pitkin County Open Space and Trails. With conservation easements representing over 15,000 acres of public private partnerships, the program is popular. Voting yes on 1A will help ensure the program continues for the next two decades.
Colorado’s top two candidates for U.S. Senate held their only televised debate of the election Tuesday night. Denver TV station KUSA Channel 9 hosted the debate at the History Colorado museum, and as Bente Birkeland reports, Green party supporters disrupted the event because third party candidates wasn’t allowed to participate.
Among the many statewide and local initiatives on the ballot this cycle is Initiative 107. Colorado is among just 11 states that rely solely on caucuses in the presidential nominating process. Under Initiative 107, parties would still use caucuses for other business, but voting on presidential candidates would be handled through a primary election, which would allow more overall voters to participate. Garfield County Democratic Party chair Bob Shivley and Republican Party chair Dave Merritt shared their views on the importance of maintaining the caucus process in a recent interview here at KDNK. Democrat Bob Shivley goes first. *Please note, Gavin accidentally referred to the amendment as 140 in the broadcast.
